Locking device for extension-tables.



G. STEINGRUBER.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR EXTENSION TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 1914.

III

mmm Patented July 6, 1915.

Tia J... I ,J ,3 ,3 4 mgr i -i & l 11 vwamboz COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mir onto GEORGE STEING'RUBER, 0F HAZLEHURST, IPIIISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNGB, TO MINNIE IB. STEINGRUIBER, OF HAZLE'EUIQST, MISSISSIPPI.

. LOCKING DEVICE FOR EXTENSION-TABLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon STEINGRUBER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at l-lazlehurst, in the county of Copiah and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Extension-Tables, of which the following is a specification. i

The present invention appertains to improvements in locking devices for extension tables and particularly adapted for that type of table wherein the fillers or table leaves are disposed, when not in use, beneath the top sections, orbetween the samerand the pedestal support therefor.

In explaining the purposes of this device it may be said that l am aware that it has been proposed heretofore to employ locks but establish an interlocking construction not susceptible of accidental disengagement. To this end the invention" consists of a locking member or bar adapted to .coiiperate with ayieldable catch member, and means for operating said bar and for guiding the. same in its movements to causeengagement and disengagement with the catch member aforesaid.

These and such other objects as may here inafter appear are attained by the novel con-' struction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed. a

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming "a part of this" specification, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a table having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the table showing more clearly the arrangementof my device. Fig. 3 is a Specification of Letters latent.

this time is in such ratenteaaiujyaiaia.

'Ap plication filed may 9, 1914. Serial No. 837,392.

plan view of the invention alone, showing the'locking bar broken away and the various positions assumed by the movable parts in the operation of the device. Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view.

Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a pedestal to the top of which are secured thecross pieces 2 which form the supports for the runner supports and runners connecting the top sections 3, 3 of the table top. .As hereinbefore inferred, the top sections of the table are spaced from the supports 2 so as to enable the disposition of the foldable table leaves 4 beneath said top sections. Specifically describing my invention as applied to this type of table, the numeral 5 designates a suitable block attached to one of the sections of the table top, namely that designated by the numeral 3 in the drawing, and to the under surface of this block is secured by means of screws 7 a flanged plate 6 which plate constitutes an open-ended casing, as'will be apparent by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawing. Slidably mounted in the casing 6 is a locking bar 8 one extremity of which has projecting therefrom-the guide lug 9 extending through a slot '10 formed in the casing 6. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that the slot 10 extends longitudinally of the casing 6 and has one end thereof offset or curved as indicated at 10 for a purpose to be more clearly understood as this discussion proceeds. Adjacent the guide lug 9 a connecting pin 11 is secured to'the locking bar 8 and extends through the slot 10 of the casing 6 and said connecting pin in the operation of the device coacts with the guide lug 9 to guidelongitudinal movements of the locking bar '8. An operating lever 12 is pivotally secured to the casingfi at 13, adjacent to the slot 10, and the pivoted end ofsaid lever is connected to the connecting pin 11 by means of the link 14-. It will be notedthat the link connection or pivot 15 is arranged to one side of the pivot 13 for the operating lever 12 and by reason of the curvature of the link '14 when the lever. assumes the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 a positive inter locking arrangement in the bar of the casing is obtained which prevents any likelihood of accidental movement of said bar which would interlock the table sections.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the free end of the locking bar 8 is provided with one or more, preferably a plurality, of notches 16 arranged at intervals on the bar and which intervals coincide with the separation orextent of opening of the table top sections 3, 3 for the insertion of the leaves of the table and it will be apparent from this description that the locking device is susceptible of lock ing the top sections against movement at its closed or any of its extended positions. Secured to the cross pieces 2 constituting the table top supports is a catch member 17 pivotally mounted at 18 and having its free terminal disposed for engagement by the notched portions 16 of the bar 8. A bracket 19 is also secured to the cross pieces 2 of the table adjacent the catch member 17 and has extending therefrom an adjusting bolt 20 about which is disposed a coiled spring 21 normally bearing against the catch 17.

Specifically describing the operation of this device and referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing to more clearly understand the same, the operating-lever 12 is pulled outwardly about its pivot 13 and such movement imparts to the locking bar 8 a direct longitudinal movement by reason of the link connection 14: thereto and the initial movement of the bar isdirectly longitudinal with respect to said bar by reason of the cooperation of the guide lug9 and the connecting pin 11 with the straight portion of the slot 10. The continued movement of the bar under actuation of the lever 12 causes the connecting pin 11 to move into the curved extremity 10 of the slot, which extremity affords a cam action and causes the locking bar ,8 to move laterally as shown in the dotted lines. The first or initial movement de-' scribed releases the bar 8 from engagement with the catch 17 and the subsequent lateral movement takes'said bar out of coacting relation with respect to the catch 17 and enables the top sections 3 and 3 to be supported for the purpose of inserting the table leaves. When aleaf has been disposed in proper position the reverse of theforegoing operation takes place upon actuation of the lever 12 in the opposite direction to that above described, first moving the locking bar 8 into proper relation or disposition with respect to the catch 17 and subsequent or direct longitudinal movement of the bar engaging the proper notch 16 of the bar with the catch member. These notches 16 are spaced apart only approximately the distance equivalent to the movement of the the limit of movement of the lever 12 into the full line position of Fig. 3 comprises the spring 21 placing the lock device, and consequently the leaves, under tension. It would be impracticable for the latch member 17 to be positively positioned on the table and the main reason for employing a yielding catch member of this character is to accommodate for the expansion and contraction of the material of the table as well as to obtain a positive interlocking arrangement such as hereinbefore described.

The foregoing description of the opera-- tion is only one of the different methods of obtaining an interlocking arrangement. It will be obvious that after the bar has been disengaged and the top sections 3 and 3' moved to a position for the insertion of a leaf the lever 12 may be returned to its normal locking position shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The leaf is then positioned with one side entered in the dowels of one of the'top sections and by catching hold of the opposite top section the bar 8 may be pulled against so as to compress the spring 21 sufficiently to allow the opposite side of the table leaf to enter its proper position between the top sections and by relief of the pull on the top section just mentioned the interlocking connection is again normal.

It will be perfectly obvious that my construction of locking device is extremely simple and could be easily and cheaply manufactured, which is a very desirable matter. Not only is it adaptable to the particular type of tables hereinbefore described but it may as easily be secured in position to the ordinary character of extension table when the casing 6 would be secured to a relatively thinner block 5 or even to the top section if desirable, and the catch member 17 arranged n the pedestal or table support accordingly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination with a table having extensible top sections and a support therefor,

of a locking bar, a casing secured to a top section in which said bar is movably mounted, said casing having a slot therein formed with an offset portion, spaced guide members on the bar aforesaid cooperating with the slot in the casing, one of said guide members being operable in the offset portion of the slot, whereby to impart lateral movement to the locking bar, means for actuating said bar,and a catch member adapted to be engaged by the locking bar.

2. In combination with a table having extensible top sections and a support therefor, of a locking bar, a casing mounted on a top section and having a slot formed therein, guide means extending from the bar and cooperating with the slot of the casing to guide the bar in its movements, an operating lever cooperating with the casing and operatively 1,145,710 i ii connected to the guide means of the bar for actuating the same, and a catch member adapted to be engaged by the locking bar.

3. In combination with a table having extensible top sections and a support therefor, of a locking bar, a casing carried by one of said top sections in which said bar is slidably mounted, the casing having formed therein a slot extending longitudinally of the casing and terminating in an offset portion, guide means projecting from said l0cking bar and into the slot of said casing, an operating lever pivotally secured to the easing adjacent the slot and connected to the guide means for imparting initial longitudinal movement to the bar and subsequent lat eral movement when the guide means reaches the offset portion of the slot aforesaid, and a catch member adapted to be engaged by the locking bar.

4. In combination with a table having extensible top sections and a support therefor, of a locking bar, a casing secured to one of said top sections in which said bar is slidably mounted, said casing having a slot formed therein, a guide lug extending from said bar into the slot of the casing for imparting longitudinal and lateral movements thereto upon actuation of the bar in either direction, an operating lever connected to the bar for actuating the same, the said bar having notches formed at spaced intervals in its free end, and yieldable means on the table adapted to be engaged by the notched portions of the bar aforesaid to lock the top sections against movement.

5. In combination with a table having extensible top sections and a support therefor, of a locking bar, a casing in which one end of said bar is slidably mounted, said casing having a slot formed therein extending longitudinally of the casing a greater portion of its length and terminating in an offset portion, a guide lug projecting from the locking bar into the slot, a connecting pin also extending from the bar into the slot aforesaid, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the casing adjacent the slot, and a connecting link connected to the lever and the connecting pin aforesaid whereby upon actuation of the lever the guide lug and connecting pin will impart longitudinal movement to the bar when moving in the longitudinal portion of the slot and lateral movement to the bar when the connecting pin .1

moves into the offset terminal of said slot, and a catch member engageable with the bar upon reverse movement of the actuating lever aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE STEINGRUBER.

Witnesses:

Mrs. GEORGE STEINGRUBER, NEWTON ELLIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

